Stephane Guenin (right) with Yves lecoq at Villa AFPF at the Cannes Film Festival. *Photo courtesy of Melle Mary.

This Thursday, new terrorists, intermediaries, financiers and accomplices of terror sown on French soil will take center stage in the new film L’Engagement 1.0, which will premiere in Paris. Stephane Guenin, the film’s director, will be on hand and the premiere and will be part of a Q&A that will take place immediately following the screening.

What sets Guenin apart from many of his French film contemporaries is his background in law. His legal experience helped shaped his unique voice in storytelling and his approach to filmmaking.

“During my doctorate in law, I became very familiar with French espionage services,” stated Guenin. “Subsequently, my collaboration in a law firm for 6 years gave me the framework and technical details which made it possible for me to write L’Engagement 1.0.”

After obtaining a doctorate in law from the University Paris II , Guenin managed FMC product placement in feature films such as Goldeneye , Ronin, Taxi 1 and Taxi 2.

During his legal tenure, Guenin became associate of the Paris law firm GSFR Paris for 6 years. During this time, he also created JDM Productions and Matisse Films. He joined AFPF (The French Producers Union) where he was elected president in 2012, and in 2015 joined l’ARP (The French Directors Guild).